Draft:Chris Daw (barrister)

Chris Daw (21 January 1970) is a prominent British barrister, author and broadcaster, with expertise in criminal law, serious fraud, financial regulation and professional discipline.

Early life and education
Chris Daw grew up in Milton Keynes and attended the Leon Comprehensive, now called Sir Herbert Leon Academy in Bletchley. He attended King George V College in Southport. Daw went on to study Law at the University of Manchester, followed by the Inns of Court School of Law (City Law School), where he took the Bar Professional Training Course to become a barrister and enter the Bar (law).

Legal career
Before becoming a King’s Counsel, Daw spent 20 years as a barrister handling complex and serious criminal cases, including murder, armed robbery, international drug trafficking, sexual offences and serious fraud.

Appointed as King's Counsel in November 2013, he is recognised as a leading Silk by both The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. He is a member of Lincoln House Chambers and Millennium Chambers. Daw has represented clients in high-profile cases and is an author and media commentator.

As a KC, his practice has included high-profile criminal and fraud cases, representing a diverse range of clients. Notably, he was involved in the Hillsborough inquests, and the investigation into the Hillsborough Disaster.

Notable cases
Daw has represented clients in various high-profile and media-covered cases. These include:

R v Ryan Giggs: Daw acted for Ryan Giggs, the former Wales captain and the Premier League's most decorated player, in a criminal trial concerning allegations of assault and coercive behaviour. The trial concluded with a hung jury, and a retrial was scheduled for later in 2023. In July 2023 the prosecution withdrew the charges against Ryan Giggs and his was found not guilty.

R v John Terry: Daw represented footballer John Terry in a highly publicised trial over accusations of racial abuse towards another player during a Premier League match. Terry was acquitted of the charges by the Senior District Judge. Daw also represented Terry in subsequent related proceedings before the Football Association Regulatory Commission.

The Hillsborough Disaster Inquests: Daw served as counsel for two retired Chief Superintendents involved in the South Yorkshire Police investigation into the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster. These inquests, overseen by Sir John Goldring with a jury, lasted over two years beginning in 2014 and concluding in 2016.

The Hillsborough "Cover-Up" Trial: In a case concerning the aftermath of the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster, Daw represented a retired Chief Superintendent charged with overseeing evidence gathering. The client was cleared following a successful submission of no case to answer at the conclusion of the prosecution's case.

Cardiff Case (Regina v Ian Massey): As leading counsel, Daw was involved in a case concerning allegations of police corruption related to the prosecution of defendants for the murder of Lynette White. This case, noted for its complexity and dubbed the largest case of alleged police corruption in legal history, concluded with the prosecution offering no evidence following successful disclosure applications.

Attorney General’s Reference (No. 43 of 2009): Daw acted as junior counsel in one of the UK's most significant cases regarding the commercial supply of firearms. This case has become a guideline on sentencing for large-scale gun supply, with the judgement delivered by the Lord Chief Justice.

Broadcasting and media contributions
In addition to his legal career, Daw has ventured into media, contributing articles to the national press             and participating in live-streamed social mobility events. He made an appearance on the BBC1 The One Show in 2018 and was commissioned to present a five-part documentary series for BBC1, which aired in October 2019, called "Crime: Are we Tough Enough?"

Author
Daw is the author of Justice on Trial, Radical Solutions for a System at Breaking Point published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2020. The book critically examines the criminal justice system, discussing its various aspects and proposing potential reforms. It has received attention for its insightful analysis and contributions to the discourse on legal and judicial matters.

Advocacy and mentoring
Daw is passionate about raising aspiration levels in deprived schools to level the playing field in top universities and professions, particularly in law. He is a speaker for Robert Peston's Speakers for Schools charity He actively engages in one-to-one mentoring of fellow barristers for the General Council of the Bar's barrister mentoring program and participates in the interview process for the £1 million scholarship program of Gray’s Inn.